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It is important to strike a reasonable balance between your own company news and events and relevant industry related information. So many ezines and websites on the Net today are nothing more than glorified sales literature. Don't get caught in this trap. Give your prospects and customers excellent content, always. If you don't, be assured that your competitors will!
*Community* is the Internet's Golden Rule: **Do unto others as you would have them do unto you** This is an unstated physical law on the Internet. Bottom line, if you support your industry, your industry will support you! If you don't
When you effectively communicate your support of the industry you serve to your potential customers, you leave a lasting impression on several levels. First, you care about more than just your own company. Second, you have a broader knowledge about your industry segment, not just your products and services. Third, you are interested in your customer's ultimate success, not just your own. Zig Zigler put it best when he said, "If you want success, go out and help as many people as you can to succeed!"
*Communication* is the mechanical aspect of the 4 C's. It is primarily concerned with identifying the appropriate mediums to effectively stay-in-touch with your constituents. You have several options to choose from when planning your e-Strategy.
In the Dirt world communication is a two-way street; it's no different in the Cyber world. As a matter of fact, your ability to act on feedback that you receive from customers and prospects is significantly improved online. For example, I recently published an article in an e-Pub called Corporate Media News (www.corporatemedianews.com), an electronic magazine targeted at the corporate communications industry. I noticed a minor error after it was posted. I notified the editor via email and within 5 minutes the problem was corrected. Your ability to make changes, updates and respond to inquiries, on a real-time basis demonstrates your interest in accuracy, efficiency, and effectiveness all of which are very important to your customers and prospects. *BEWARE*, along with this increased ability comes the expectation from your customers and prospects for immediate response to their inquiry. This could be reason enough to invest in an auto responder!
*Commerce* is equal in importance to the other three. Beyond website traffic, actually transacting business as a result of your online efforts is the key success measurement of any effective e-Strategy. I am not speaking exclusively here about a shopping cart. A shopping cart is the online functionality which allows a customer to make an automated purchase, generally through the use of a credit card. Some businesses, entire industries in fact, do not lend themselves to this type of commerce. What I am referring to when I say e-Commerce is either transacting business online through whatever means is appropriate (credit card, check or purchase order) or, taking the next step in the sales process.
E-Commerce has been somewhat maligned in the recent past. Several companies failed due in large part to a misinterpretation and misunderstanding of this term. An appropriate application of e-Commerce to your business is dependant on where you are in the Value Chain. What business you are in, and the types of customers you serve will dictate how you actually transact business on the Internet. Striking an effective balance among the 4 C's **Content, Community, Communication and Commerce** will help to guarantee the success of your e-Strategy.
Charles B. Broersma is the CEO of CTHorizons, LLC, an Internet Communications Firm specializing in enabling small to mid-sized businesses in their Online Marketing and Promotions. He is also the publisher of the Horizon Report, a State-Of-The-Art weekly small business eZine. To contact Charles and to subscribe to the Horizon Report, go to http://www.cthorizons.com
